Tony blinked as Bes hummed to himself, entirely unconcerned. There was, obviously, less for Bes to find concerning about this situation, but Tony couldn't remember the last time he'd spent time with anyone who seemed so... What was the word? Content? Carefree?

"Yeah, that should work," he said, nodding at Bes's suggestions. There was a strange feeling in his chest, and it took him a moment to realize he that a tight spiral of anxiety within him was beginning to loosen. There were no reminders of Steve or the SHRA or SHIELD here. The complicated mess of his relationship with Safi was far away. No one here expected him to be or say or do anything. And best of all, he had something to build. The conditions weren't ideal, exactly--busted leg and technological barriers being what they were--but they were far from the worst he'd encountered. Not to mention, he liked the idea of doing something that could actually help people. He distantly remembered a time that had been what his life was all about.

"If be happy to talk to the mayor. Leave behind plans, or even the balloon itself. No reason to let all this work go to waste," he said thoughtfully, sketching out the list of materials he'd need and the basic lines of the design.

With the market a couple days off, there was little else he could do at the moment. He fidgeted. The throbbing in his leg was just shy of bearable, at least when he was sitting around doing nothing. He still wanted a drink.

"So, uh," he said. "It looks like I might be here a while." He glanced around. "I'd rather not put you out. Is there anything I can do around here in the meantime? Earn my keep? I can, you know, tinker." Then he looked vaguely uncomfortable. "I hope I'm not putting you out. I'm sure you'll want your bed back."

Yes. That was simply put what Bes radiated, for Tony to believe that there was no pressure here, no expectations, no assumptions.

“Well now…” Bes scratched his effortless yet perfect stubble thoughtly “how about got a few things planned; going to put in a geothermal sink to heat the house, figure out a better sanitation system for the stable-“ Bes snorted in good humor, “Well the lean to masquerading as a stable. Right now it’s annoying to shovel out. Spread on pallets to be dried and sold-“ Bes grinned unrepentantly, “Not the most glamorous of problems, but ones that need solutions nonetheless.”

Bes chuckled. “Life is often small unglamorous tasks that need doing!” Bes slapped his knees with a grin. “But completing a problem is terribly fun!”

Shaking his head Bes just nodded towards the loft- “God remember? Don’t need sleep if I don’t want to; and if I do there’s another bed up.”

Of course saying that Bes yawned snickering at himself around his mug of tea.

Tony smiled slightly at Bes's description of his problems. They weren't glamorous, sure, but they were exactly the type of thing Tony had always excelled at. Improving systems, streamliming labor, making life better with whatever resources were on hand. He'd he able to earn his keep. He'd probably enjoy it, even.

His smile slipped as quickly as it had come as his leg gave a series of random, but no less arresting, stabs of pain. God. He gritted anyway, "I can help with that. All of that. Be happy to."

He followed Bes's gesture toward the loft. Even bring generous, it looked far less comfortable than the bed Tony was currently occupying. Still, he supposed he had to believe the god when he said he didn't have to sleep.

His leg throbbed. He was trapped and useless.

"If you change your mind," he said tightly, because Bes hardly knew him and it was more than likely he'd want nothing to do with Tony if he knew some of the things he'd done. "If you change your mind, I'll go. Please just. Remember that."

Bes’s smile turned melancholy as Tony’s pain was reflected on his face, “I can help.” He Held out his hand. “Don’t even need to believe in me. Just...let me in.” His soft brown eyes held no judgement should he be scorned, no expectation of Tony to agree. And if he took Bes’s hand, did not reject the warm wave of his direct power...well Bes could shield him from most of his agony, sliding pain into discomfort.

At Tony’s adamant reiteration that Bes could turn him out, the young god snorted. “God of home and happy endings. Letting you get sepsis in the mud isn’t a very happy ending for you now is it?” Bes smiled peaceful st Tony. “I don’t judge anyone Tony Stark, that is not my bailiwick or my will. As long as you keep the peace of my home it will always be open to you.” Bes tapped Tony’s chest, “I see where you have opened your homes to those that need it, giving succor and safety to men and women deemed threats, helping them find sanctuary under your protection.” Bes smiled beatifically, “I see that and it doesn’t matter that it was not done in my name, your have earned my favor even if I were not bound by my bailiwick.”

Tony didn't know what Bes meant. Let him in? The words sent something icy through him. He'd opened himself up too much lately, had made himself vulnerable, and it had brought him nothing but grief. He trusted Bes, as much as he could trust a man he'd known for all of an hour. He was still reeling from the fallout, the loss of control. Bes probably meant well. But whatever that meant, let him in... Tony couldn't afford to be so dependent on anyone anymore than he could say yes to the relief that Bes's laudanum would bring.

He shook his head, breathing through the pain. "I'm all right. I've had...worse. Believe it or not."

He allowed himself to relax slightly, however, st Bes's assurance. "Yeah. All right. Thank you."

You gave me a home.

The words shot through his mind like a lance as Bes mentioned his generosity, and he had to blink several times to get himself back under control. Bes hadn't been taking about Steve, and anyway, Tony was pretty sure he'd nullified any goodwill related to that particular action by getting Steve killed.

"So, ah." He cast about, not wanting to linger on the thought, especially when his newest friend was some kind of mind reader. "This place. Where you're a god. Does it have a name?"

“I believe.” Bes just shook his head slightly, he couldn’t see everything in this mortals soul, past, but his bailiwick touched enough to give him a fairly good picture.

“Here?” Bes gestured to the outside, “Well this is a version of Earth, Cintucky, is what this province is called in particular. But I am worshipped in a few universes and across non earth worlds as well.” Bes rubbed the back of his head self deprecatingly, “Just more of a hanger on god than my Mother or Sister.” There was no jealousy in his voice, Bes enjoyed being a lesser god and felt no desire to change his status.

It was finally market day. The last week had gone by, not fast, exactly, but with enough of a pleasant rhythm that Tony hadn't felt unduly trapped. Bes continued to be kind and jovial to the point that, had Tony not known he was a god, he probably would have suspected something was up. He woke up each morning in Bes's bed, enjoyed whatever breakfast Bes cooked, then went out to tinker with whatever project he felt until it was time to eat again. Afternoons were more variable, sometimes spent in Bes's company, or, if he'd been absorbed enough in his work, back to tinkering. In the evening they'd eat again, then sit by the crackling fire and drink tea and talk, or read, or sketch ideas he hadn't had the time to flesh out, until it was time to sleep. It was...nice. It had been a long time since he'd been been free of the chatter of Extremis in his mind.

His leg, unfortunately, was still a mess. He could get around well enough on the crutches, provided he didn't put any weight on it, but even staying upright for more than a few minutes at a time left the injury throbbing worse than ever. He didn't complain, even when his morning tinkering jobs left him in bad shape. It was better to deal with the pain and have something to do than sit around waiting.

And now, today, it was finally time to make the trip into town to get the materials for the balloon. He felt something like actual excitement. A project about to evolve into its next stage.

He grinned at Bes over his coffee. "Thanks again for being my tour guide. Any word from our vendors? Anything else you'll need to pick up while we're there?"

Bes, Tony would discover that week, had a very good singing voice, the clear vibrantly deep baritone took the place of radio, filling the air with tunes that would be naggingly familiar but he’d be unable to put a mental finger on. To songs that were simply joyful, in a language unfamiliar but that needed no translation to be beautiful, Bes announced his location with song.

“My pleasure.” Bes smiled genially back, sipping his regular herbal tea with steady delight. “Now. Few are going to look a bit strange to you, this earth was having a bit of a evolutionary branch off before the Event, so a good percentage of folk have much better night vision among other things than you’d expect. That shows in their eyes, a little slitted and milky, it’s fair expected here so don’t fuss.” Bes warned tipping his mug towards Tony. “Also folk don’t exactly know that I’m a god a good chunk here lay offerings too, so I’d appreciate your discretion, very few people need to know their god has a personal eye on them, most prefer a more distant relationship, they remember me, and I keep their homes peaceful and prosperous.” And as Tony had discovered the number of direct blessings Bes could give were distinctly limited, he could do more to heal a sick child with his midwifery knowledge than his divine powers.

“Speaking of on the way too and back we are going a bit roundabout, check on some ladies about to deliver and check the last batch of little blessings that already arrived.” Bes smiled at Tony, “if you want the support of the community to help sew that balloon, making your self known to the new mamas will do that right fast.”

Tony waved a dismissive hand at Bes's warning. "Don't worry. There are all types where I come from. I won't stare." The other part was more interesting. Tony had assumed that, as readily as Bes had admitted his identity, it had to be common knowledge. But he promised, "Not a word."

Tony nodded at the rest. He could meet and greet anyone with a smile on his face. He'd been doing it in one form or another for as long as he remembered. It didn't matter who or what or where. And he liked babies. That wasn't going to be a problem.

"So," he said, pressing his hands to the table to brace himself for getting up. Whatever else they had to do, he was impatient to get moving toward the market. "Shall we get this show on the road?"

Bes didn’t know that history, what he knew of Tony was far more vague snippets of what he was, would be, and where he wanted to be. But by that Bes had also known Tony wasn’t from this world and not one of his worshipers, telling him what he was, was how to make the other man comfortable in his home, so he had.

“Alright.” Bes finished his mug, between one eyeblink and the next the dishes were clean and neatly put away, “wagon is hitched up.” He offered Tony his shoulder to lean on, he could carry the other man and offered too once again. “I promise my gait is much steadier than the crutches.”

Either way he helped Tony into the fairly well sprung wagon; another benefit to being a god, his horses were always well behaved and eager to please. In fact he tucked the reins negligent in his off hand, clearly for show and not guiding them by normal means. “Do you know how to ride?” He asked curiously. “We brace that leg tight enough..well it’s wouldn’t be fun, but it would give you some mobility.” He offered.

The weather had stayed a pleasant late summer early autumn temperature, the leaves just starting to turn on a few trees would give Tony the clue as to which season they were approaching. Bes glanced up at the clear sky, visible through the over hanging foliage- “big storm coming tonight.” He sounded fretful. “Babies love to be born in this sort of weather. Might see if Mary Comtree wants company just in case, it’s her first time and it’s twins.”

The offer to carry him was too much. He'd been up and around all week on the crutches. And, for all he'd learned that they were a pain in the ass on uneven ground, Tony shook his head. He had some pride. "I'm fine."

He settled into the wagon as Bes readied his horses. He let out a short bark of a laugh at the question. "I grew up fantastically wealthy and went to boarding school for ten years. I can ride a horse." It hadn't exactly been his favorite activity, but he was proficient enough. And some more mobility might be worse both the pain. "That's not a bad idea."

Tony glanced up at the sky as Bes did. One of the things he missed about Extremis was that the weather report was no longer a thought away. He hadn't known there was a storm coming, though there had been a sharpness to the ache in his leg that he associated with shifting weather. Then he frowned as he realized what Bes was saying, unable to keep the skepticism out of his tone. "You mean stay over in case her babies decide they want to see the storm?"

“Of course.” Bes replied as though it was the most obvious answer, “her partner is on a hunting trip, and she’s alone.” Clicking to the pair of horses they turned easily up a hill, obeying something other than the reins held for show in his off hand.

When they created the hill Tony would beable to see a fairly standard valley, something that wouldn’t look out of place in upstate New York. “Marigold will carry you if you ask nicely.” Be reached down to pat the rump of the golden quarter horse.

“Problem is..” Bes hummed thoughtfully, “I also have Sally Winters due this month, and she’s lost her others.” There was an sadness in his tone. “This one she wishes to keep, and prays to my Mother for help, but I can’t be in two places at once-“ Bes side eyed Tony. “Well Not visibly.” He wondered if Tony would pick up on his hint, and offer to stand at one of the woman’s bedside while Bes coached him invisibly.

Sitting on his ass in the cart as it bumped along, feeling every dip in the road as a spike of pain through his shin, riding the horse was starting to seem like a better and better idea. It would hurt, but it might not be much worse than this. At least that way he'd have some control over the jostling. Not as much as he'd like (that was the problem with horses, they had minds of their own), but it was worth a try. He took a deep breath, which hitched as the cart ran over a lump in the road and his leg banged against the wooden slats. "I'm sure Marigold and I will get along splendidly, now, stop the cart?"

Tony was a genius. He picked up on the hint. "You want me to play midwife," he said, keeping his tone flat. "That's...a bad idea." It wasn't that he doubted his ability to learn whatever he needed to know technically--perks of being a genius--but the rest of it left him, admittedly, a little terrified. He had no idea what it meant for someone to bring a life into the world, or how on Earth they'd react if anything went wrong. He'd always been better at helping by doing than helping by providing any kind of emotional support. (Steve had been so much better at that, when they'd led the Avengers together.) He bit his lip, pushing the thoughts of Steve away, then looked sheepishly at Bes. "I mean. I can do it. But it might not be the best thing for them."

Half shaking his head Bes hopped down from the cart- “you are lucky I’m a god-“ he chuckled unstrapping Marigold from her traces- “Bareback wouldn’t be fun for either of you.” It was impossible to see the moment when the golden quarter horse suddenly acquired a western style saddle, it was simply there between one eye blink and the next.

“I will be with you, anything that goes wrong I can walk you through.” He promised. Not asking Tony this time, the golden Avenger found himself on his new steed with out seeming to have moved at all. Bed checked the split, strapping it tighter. “Now why wouldn’t it be better to have someone there than no one?” He asked, re harnessing Simon into the now single harness. This was the first time Bes used his power in such an overt manner in front of Tony.

Well, if Tony'd had any doubt Bes was a god, he didn't anymore. The manipulation of matter that Bes was engaging in so casually had to have taken immense power. He startled at appearing on the horse, but there was no doubt short-range teleportation was less painful than climbing up would have been. The change in position and subsequent yanking on his splint sent his leg pounding harder but he pushed the pain aside, focusing on examining the saddle Bes had created out of nothing.

"Impressive," was all he said, "and thanks. Bareback was not what I was looking for," he said, resisting the urge to add an only half-joking 'at least not with the horse.' Tony want blind. Bes was a very attractive man. And while there was a chance he'd take the statement as the joke it was mostly meant to be... Well, there was enough of a kernel of truth there that it wasn't worth it. Not to mention, he usually redeemed his most juvenile humor for people who were more or less stuck being his friend, like Rhodey.

And then, as Bes kept telling, Tony felt like an asshole. Bes had taken him in, helped him in more ways than Tony had thought possible in just the span of a week, and here he was refusing the one favor Bes had asked of him just because it made him anxious.

Bes cocked his head at Tony, empathetic nature reading his sudden guilt if not the direct cause. The young god paused, patting Simon as he considered if his usage of his divine powers had seemed threatening to the mortal.

For all that Bes was more connected to mortal than his sister or Mother he was still a divine creature and would always be removed from how they truly thought.

Unfortunately short of directly asking him if that was the case Bes didn’t know how to determine the truth.

“I will not let anything happen.” He promised softly, giving the only surety he could, pledging his power so the mortal would not fail. Even if he needed to Call his Mother for aide.

Tightening the last straps for Simons comfort the young god vaulted back into his seat. “By the way I wasn’t kidding about asking nicely, on this world horses are semi-sentient.” He commented casually.

Tony managed a smile at Bes's assurance. Really, he reminded himself, he'd faced much worse threats than the sudden appearance of a tiny human being. Hell, he'd even been present for a birth once, not that that memory was one he liked to dwell on...

But then, that was the real problem, wasn't it. The last time he'd seen a baby born, the mother--his friend, if he could call her that--had died beside him and there had been nothing he could do except hold the child and hope they both made it through the night. That was a real contender for the worst day of his life.

He could do this. He wasn't going to be huddled in a a doorway in the storm of the century. He wasn't going to be drunk off his ass, half frozen himself because he'd sold his coat for liquor.

"It's not a problem," he promised, willing that to be true. Then he looked down at the horse, frowning. Of course the horses were semi sentient. Why the hell not. He patted Marigold's ears uncomfortably, wishing he'd known before he'd let Bes transport him onto her back. "Uh, right. Thanks, Marigold."

The snort from between Tony’s thighs sounded strangely amused, Marigold flipped her golden mane seemingly to smirk at Tony.

Bes didn’t press further, clicking his tongue signaling that they could get moving again. He had to admit privately that he was surprised by Tony’s lack of questions about what and how he was, the mortal seemed to be the type of endless questions, or perhaps he simply wished to discover on his own.

But before they visited Mary or Sara they first needed to complete their visit to market day; Bes had given Tony some tips about the mayor but it seemed the mortal hardly needed them, confidence in his ability to charm bordering on arrogance had colored his responses. Hopefully he did not overestimate his charm.

“Hunters Glen.” Bes gestured to the city, town really that opened up before them; to Tony’s eye it would be easy to pinpoint the ‘old world’ remains; paved streets repaired with concrete or brick, buildings higher than four or five stories abandoned many half dismantled for material. It looked like a city that could have supported ten or fifteen thousand that now held a fraction of that number. Bes led the wagon down the remade streets, the curve of them was now defensive, no direct path into the heart of the city for attackers to swarm easily, side streets carefully blocked off by intentionally pulled down buildings.

The central square was likely larger than he expected, the length of it not easily visible when they hitched the horses into the pre prepared paddock. “Where would you like to start?” Bes fretted about his leg, but the man was certainly old enough to care for his own self, but Bes already knew he wasn’t quite that smart.

The horse sounded... entertained, which was both ridiculous and impossible, except apparently not here and this was just Tony's life now. He patted her mane one more time. That she was sentient would have been less disconcerting if he weren't RIDING her.

It wasn't that Tony didn't have questions about any of this. It was just his experience that when magic was involved, the answers were always supremely unsatisfying. How do you transmute matter? Oh, magic. Obviously.

Tony gazed at the town as it spread out before them, picking up easily on what remained of the more technologically advanced era. It was chilling. That everything these people had accomplished could have evaporated just like that, leaving ruins.

"A lot of people must have died here," he said, glancing over at Bes. It was obvious the town had once been well populated. Tony could only imagine the chaos that must have followed when the technology had failed and crops and medicine and everything else had failed with it. He could imagine. Bes had been there.

"We should start with the metalwork," Tony said shortly after, giving Bes a chance to respond or not. "I need to know what I'm working with." He looked out at the expanse of the square and suppressed a sigh. His leg throbbed sharply from the ride, but he'd been waiting for this for a week. He wasn't going to let a little pain get in his way. He'd had worse. He'd be fine. "So, uh," he gestured at the square and smiled, "lead the way!"

“Billions across the globe over the first decade.” Bes answered, what grief was audible in his voice was tempered by distance that time and immortality granted him. “Now thankfully things have more or less settled down, replacements found, many ingenious for the technology that simply doesn’t work as it used to. And gods like my Mother and sister have returned to the forefront of belief.” Dotted where in another world would be crosses or other icons were instead depictions of a serpent bodied goddess curled protectively around smaller figures.

Bed handed Tony a set of crutches, “they don’t pop in as directly as I do normally .” He winked conspiratorially. “Metal workers.” Bes nodded leading the way to the smithies. “Good news is from what i know most metal working has been unaffected, just the quantities are much harder to come by. The flux’s and chemical compounds weren’t lost it’s just much harder to find.”

He lead them to a side steet where the back was dominated by heat spewing workshops and the front was störe fronts